Galway United gave a hospitable welcome to Leeds on the first leg of the Elland Road club's tour of the Republic of Ireland, but behind the warm atmosphere was a sense of foreboding over the future of a team which is being edged towards the exit door of Eire's Premier Division.

Jeff Kenna, Galway's manager, rolled back a few of his 37 years by naming himself at right-back against United – the position he occupied with distinction for Blackburn Rovers and Southampton – but his first outing since April, when he seemed to have retired, was by necessity rather than the friendly nature of United's visit.

Galway's season has been consistently mediocre. To date, at the midway point of the Irish season, they have recorded a solitary league win – and their relegation is a distinct probability.

But complex financial developments at the start of this month were the catalyst for the resumption of Kenna's playing career, and that of his assistant Ian Foster.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) place a salary cap on clubs in the eircom League – a system which some would like to see in England, unenforceable though it may be – which limits the money spent on wages to strictly 65 per cent of every club's projected annual turnover.

Galway's revenue reached around £1m during 2007, but their income this season will fall below their expectations, bringing on an unavoidable cull of players last week.

Five members of Kenna's squad made a rapid departure from Terryland Park, and a statement released by the club on July 9 announced that another three would follow.

The cuts, though, were not being made from the fringes of his playing resources.

"The reality is that other clubs want your best players," said a philosophical Kenna. "That goes without saying. And because we weren't really in a position to say no, the money had to talk. I knew that would be the case."

Galway were in breach of the 65 per cent salary cap before the exodus of players began and the restructuring of the wage bill at Terryland Park has swiftly brought their costs in line with the FAI's limit.

It was, then, with open arms that Galway embraced a friendly against Leeds, just 48 hours before their important league fixture away to Bray Wanderers tonight.

In praising his team's 2-0 victory, Gary McAllister was also genuinely pleased to see a crowd of 2,749 attend the friendly, some 1,700 supporters more than Galway generally anticipate for Premier Division matches at present.